Educational Philosophy

From a worldview, I try to look at how I was taught in college, what I have learned in my classes I have taken so far, and my experiences as an substitute teacher to become a template of how I will practice as an educator. I look at realism as a guide to my philosophy of life because of the universal concepts of justice, truth, beauty, and goodness that will lead to the ultimate reality (Gutek, 1995). As an educator, I would want my students to understand that we seek out the goodness and the best of their potential. This brings home the reality of being worldly in all aspects.

I have used not only previous educational experiences, but also my real world experiences to serve as a template for my future career as a Professional School Counselor. I was in retail management for ten years, a drum major in high school and college, as well as a student director in my final year at Fort Valley State. As a professional school counselor, we would have to display experience in diverse situations, we have to advocate for students when cannot do it for themselves, as well as be able to guide and counsel students whenever they need assistance. I would like to see myself as a person who likes to nurture and train so Froebel would be a person who I would pattern some of his thoughts on nurturing from him. I would also model some of my pedagogy after Montessori's curriculum which involves formal skills and studies and her early childhood development theories which involve individuals with disabilities to have a working knowledge of how to engage and nurture that segment of the school population. I believe in this scripture, Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6 NIV). I believe if we guide our children properly from day one, they will not stray from those instilled lessons.